Southerners Go Crazy for Snow Cream

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Southerners Go Crazy for Snow Cream

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) – As the people of the Tennessee Valley were sledding, building snow creatures or participating in epic snowball battles many of them were also concocting a winter favorite: snow cream.

Many of us at the station recently learned snow cream is definitely a regional phenomenon: mention the sugary slurry around northerners and you get one of two responses – blank stares or shoulder shrugs.

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Those of us born and bred in the south were shocked to learn many of our friends who hail from north of the Mason-Dixon had never heard of snow cream in their lives.

The cream-based variety of Snow "cream" is of old lineage. It is known in continental Europe at least as early as the late 15th or early 16th century.

It has been suggested that "snow" may be even older than that.

Common ingredients for the snow-based variety are a dairy based ingredient, usually milk, sugar and a flavoring agent, typically vanilla extract.

Some people choose to use sweetened condensed milk instead.

Viewer Christi Parker posted on Facebook that she went the adult route with her mixture, adding in a little Kahlúa to taste.

Others added cocoa powder or syrup for a chocolate treat.

There are really no rules when it comes snow cream, except one very important one: you need freshly fallen, virgin snow. Contaminants, environmental or otherwise, are not recommended.

But you better hurry. The chance to enjoy a first or a favorite are quickly melting away in the Tennessee Valley.

Share your snow cream recipes and memories with us in the comments section below.

KA

Larry Beane

I make snow cream using very vanilla silk soy milk, stevia, and vanilla flavoring. Add to large bowl heaped with snow a good covering of stevia &/or sugar, put the vanilla flavoring on top of the sugar/stevia, slowly pour soy milk over it until it melts a hole through the snow. Stir into a slush and eat near a heater….mmmm can’t wait.